Introducing Alice Emily Osborne, a member of the Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) MBA Class of 2026, originally from Singapore. Alice is an accomplished marketing professional with expertise in sustainability communications, brand development, and purposeful storytelling. She holds a First Class BA (Hons) in Business & Chinese from the University of Manchester and has spent the past four years working across various sectors, including film and television, real estate, automotive, and technology, in both the UK and Asia.
After gaining substantial experience in the start-up sector, Alice recognized the need to broaden her commercial acumen and prepare for leadership roles in larger, multinational organizations. She viewed an MBA as a strategic opportunity to enhance her critical thinking, deepen her industry knowledge, and build the confidence necessary for senior management positions in the future.
Alice chose AMBS for its hands-on learning approach and its strong emphasis on sustainability. With its #1 global ranking in sustainability, the school aligns with Alice’s commitment to driving positive environmental change through business. AMBS’s “learning by doing” philosophy also offers a practical platform to translate academic knowledge into real-world applications, which greatly appealed to Alice’s learning style.
As an alumnus of the University of Manchester, Alice brings a unique blend of creativity, entrepreneurial insight, and cross-cultural experience to the MBA cohort. She is eager to contribute to meaningful discussions on sustainability and inspire her peers to think about how they can leverage their roles to drive change in the organizations they join both during and after the MBA.
Alice actually met the MBA team at an MYP Supper Club and she is keen to attend more events as she continues her studies to build up her list of connections.
Beyond her professional ambitions, Alice is a dedicated matcha enthusiast. She finds the process of preparing matcha with traditional tools to be both a source of joy and mindfulness. She is even exploring the idea of introducing premium matcha to the UK market as a healthier alternative to coffee, in hopes of sharing the calming ritual and distinctive flavour profile with others.
In terms of her post-MBA career, Alice is passionate about advancing sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices within global corporations, with a particular interest in Southeast Asia, where she has extensive experience. Alice is also open to exploring entrepreneurial opportunities and venture capital, eager to identify where she can make the most significant impact.
For prospective applicants, Alice offers valuable advice. She recommends taking time to reflect carefully on your career trajectory and long-term objectives. Achieving clarity on these points will not only strengthen your MBA application but will also make the process more seamless. She also notes that she wished she had applied earlier, as she initially misunderstood the testing requirements for AMBS. After discovering that there were alternative assessment options, she was able to move forward confidently, reinforcing the importance of asking questions early in the application process. While the Manchester Admission Test did require additional preparation, Alice found the experience rewarding. She devoted several days to preparing with Korn Ferry’s materials, particularly focusing on the logical reasoning section, and felt a sense of accomplishment upon completing it.
Alice’s initial impressions of the AMBS community have been exceptionally positive. She finds the school’s diverse and supportive culture to be motivating, with a collaborative atmosphere that encourages students to strive for excellence, embrace challenges, and learn from one another. The guidance provided by the senior cohort and alumni further enhances the experience, making AMBS a dynamic environment where students are empowered to grow and explore new possibilities.
One of the most pleasant surprises for Alice has been the proactive support from the Postgraduate Careers Service, which has already facilitated connections with prominent global companies for internships and job opportunities. Alice is also looking forward to participating in prestigious competitions, such as the Accounting 4 Sustainability Challenge and the Venture Capital Investment Competition, in the coming months. Although she initially felt some apprehension about contributing to group discussions—due to the experience levels of many of her classmates—Alice quickly realized that her background in fast-paced start-ups provided her with valuable insights that contribute meaningfully to collaborative work.
Above all, Alice is excited about the opportunity for both personal and professional growth during her first year at AMBS. She looks forward to expanding her knowledge, developing new interests, and building a strong foundation for the next phase of her career, all while forming lasting relationships with her peers in a vibrant academic community.
We look forward to seeing how Alice’s journey at AMBS unfolds and how her commitment to sustainability and responsible business will shape the future of global enterprises.
